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WORLD OF DEATH Ep. 116 – “Murder Springs”

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First, dim the lights, enjoy a moment of silence, then start this episode of WORLD OF DEATH. If you are a viewer of “a certain age,” enjoy the nostalgia rush of a classic leader run. If you’re a younger viewer, relax into the retro vibe. We’re taking a trip back to the golden age of the exploitative 1970’s, when guitars went “wakka wakka,” there was always a hair in the gate, and the blood of the innocent runs red.

There is a balance of “Style vs. Substance” in any film endeavor, and “Murder Springs: Chapter One” from Writer/Director Adam Van Dyke proudly and unabashedly is reveling in heaping helpings of stylistic goodness. There are leaders, and burns, missing scenes, and clear signs that this long-lost 70’s short’s master print hasn’t been treated at all well over the decades. Alright, it’s not actually set in the ‘70’s, but the anachronisms between the style of the edit and grading and the setting of the short synergize nicely to create an enveloping mood. Besides, our protagonists are certainly of an age to remember the 70’s well, and the mixture of classic styling with modern setting serves to set up a nostalgic feel of times long gone that obviously inform the psyches of our aging heroes. In other words, besides just looking cool – and the muted colors of faded film, dust and scratches, audio pops, registry errors and burns do look cool – the “Grindhouse” look is a subtle subtext, not only to the story, but to the motivations of the characters.

There’s a balance between humor and terror in the horror genre, and “Murder Springs” is also firmly on the humor side. It’s a black comedy which is somewhat thematically similar to (or perhaps a parody of) a certain 1996 David Cronenberg film, mixed with a tiny sprinkling of “The Toxic Avenger”. It works, and quite well. Cronenberg’s movie (which shall go unnamed here, so as to avoid spoilers for this WoD short) tackles the subject matter in a dark, disturbing and creepy manner, where “Murder Springs” heads down a similar road, but does so in such a fashion as to bring a near-innocent joy into the tragic events which unfold.

With some lovely camera work, stylish grading, solid performances, and some superb audio editing (there’s a great lo-fi feeling to the soundtrack, but every little sound was obviously chosen with much thought), this is a great looking and great sounding short. The performances and presentation come together to provide an entertaining slice of life and death. There are some chuckles. Some of you might give out a few groans. And, as always, someone’s gonna die.

– Michael M. Miller

World of Death is the web series that fans of independent horror have been waiting for.  Featuring short horror films from all over the globe created by the largest variety of talent that a collection has ever been able to boast, WOD provides plenty of blood, guts, screams and laughs for all fans of the macabre.  And with episodes averaging around eight minutes in length, WOD is the perfect entertainment for a fan base constantly on the go.  Watch it anywhere, at any time, for FREE! New episodes premiere every Monday and Thursday at 10am CST.

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Indie

“Bite Size Short: Her House of Horrors” Announce Short Grant Program!

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Her House of Horrors, the horror division of Independent Production House WOMXNOGRAPHY, has launched its Bite Size Short Grant Program, ahead of its film festival Dollhouse of Horror, which will take place in March 2025 in Los Angeles, CA.

The Bite Size Short Grant Program awards $2,000 film grants to female-identifying and queer horror filmmakers. Shorts must be able to be made for $2,000, with a minimum runtime of 8 minutes. Submissions are now open on Filmfreeway, and are being judged by a panel of horror lovers and content creators.

The 2024 Bite Size Short Grant Program judge lineup is as follows:

“James H. Carter II- A documentary director, film producer, podcaster, marketing specialist, and writer. James is the founder and co-owner of Creepy Kingdom. Creepy Kingdom was founded in 2011 and is a multimedia website, and production studio specializing in creepy content. Their primary focus lies at the intersection of childlike fantasy and the macabre, covering horror films, theme parks, haunts, and much more. Beyond their extensive media coverage, Creepy Kingdom hosts events, offers original merchandise, and engages in film production under the Creepy Kingdom Studios brand producing original films like “Foolish Mortals”, exploring Disney’s “Haunted Mansion” fan culture, and “Georgie”, featuring Tony Dakota from the original “It” miniseries.

“In addition to founding Creepy Kingdom, James has won awards for his documentary work, including the award-winning “Foolish Mortals,” which has earned him recognition. He has been featured on Freeform’s 31 Nights of Halloween special.

“Ashleeta Beauchamp is the editor-in-chief of Peek-A-Boo! Magazine, a cheeky horror magazine created to uplift marginalized writers, artists, models and other creators within the horror community. She also runs The Halloween Coalition, a community group to provide support and marketing for horror and Halloween events around the Southern California area.

“Titeanya Rodríguez is a multi-hyphenate creative, and the founder and owner of HER HOUSE OF HORRORS, home of DOLLHOUSE OF HORROR and the horror division of WOMXNOGRAPHY. As a fellow storyteller and a self-proclaimed artivist, Titeanya’s mission is to create opportunities for women of color and queer women, across film, tv, sports, music, and beyond. She is also the creator of the BITE SIZE SHORT grant program.”

Winners will have a one-night theatrical screening at Regal Cinemas. Submissions Close April 8 at Midnight. Winners will be announced on May 27, 2024. Shorts must be shot and through post-production by June 30, 2024. The screening will take place on July 8, 2024, in Los Angeles, CA.

WOMXNOGRAPHY, HER HOUSE OF HORRORS, and Rodriguez are represented by Azhar PR, Granderson Des Rochers, and Kinsella Holley Iser Kump Steinsapir.

To submit your short to the Bite Size Short Grant Program, go to the FilmFreeway link here.

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